Huckleberries Online

Sandpoint D’s Protest Palin Visit

Posted by DFO

Dec. 14, 2009 8:55 a.m. • 15 comments

Some Palin supporters, fresh from meeting a woman they deeply admire after standing in line all day, reacted strongly to the presence of Palin opponents. There was some nasty jeering and some verbal confrontations. “We didn’t really want to be anti-Palin,” Bry said of her segment of the protest group. “My best friend thinks Sarah Palin is just an awesome woman. I don’t want to be disrespectful to my neighbors and I don’t want to be disrespectful to Sarah Palin either. I just don’t agree with her on almost anything.” Jenni Roberts-Martin said some of the Palin supporters’ vitriol was directed squarely at her and her children, but has no regrets about exercising her civil rights/Keith Kinnaird, Bonner County Bee. More here.

Question: Is there any value in a small political protest, like the one in Sandpoint that opposed Sarah Palin’s book-signing event?

15 comments on this post so far. Add yours!

moscow_minidoka on December 14 at 9:05 a.m.
Yes, I think it’s healthy for people around here to be reminded that not all of their friends and neighbors belong to the Sarah Palin Fan Club. Some people in north Idaho seem shocked - SHOCKED! - that some of their fellow Idahoans prefer Obama to Palin.

However, I *really* get irritated by people who take their children to protests. I don’t care *what* you’re protesting - the moment you involve people younger than 16 or so, it just makes you look like a manipulative tool.
Duffer on December 14 at 10:21 a.m.
From the attire shown in this picture it appears the Sandpoint “signing” took place at the Bonner County Jail!
ejs on December 14 at 11:29 a.m.
Interesting terminology in the question, we call the small group, political protesting, yet the Palin tour is a combination of protesting, politicking, and even campaigning hidden under the term “book signing”
When the cavalry killed a bunch of Indians, women and children it’s a battle, when the Indians killed a bunch of cavalry or settler women and children it’s a massacre.
hhuseland on December 14 at 12:38 p.m.
I find it difficult to justify anyone’s return to their birth city being challenged by protesters. She is not a current office holder, nor has she stared a ca campaign for funding, which would tip off that she intends to run. The huge question here, considering all of the political figures there are in this country that are being ignored, is WHY are the Democrats so afraid of her? If a like number of protesters were to gather for the purpose of blasting President Obama, they would be labeled racists. Perhaps we should label Palin protesters as Sexists. Maybe we should just call them an unruly mob and be done with it.
Smacky on December 14 at 12:52 p.m.
Really Herb? So, one can only protest elected officials? It is very clear that you support the former Alaska guv, but does that mean that everyone must do so? And, yes, I would agree that you can call the protestors “sexists” if they are holding up signs indicating that she’s only qualified to be a brothel employee or a homemaker or shouting otherwise sexist comments. Were they doing so?
Phaedrus on December 14 at 1:42 p.m.
nor has she stared a ca campaign for funding,

False. SarahPAC
Phaedrus on December 14 at 1:43 p.m.
Perhaps we should label Palin protesters as Sexists.

That has been happening since September 2008.
Phaedrus on December 14 at 1:44 p.m.
WHY are the Democrats so afraid of her?

You confuse disagreement with fear.
hhuseland on December 14 at 2:12 p.m.
We all disagree with many people. We are, however, not usually obsessed over it.
hhuseland on December 14 at 2:16 p.m.
A PAC is not an candidacy account, which is what I was referring to. Some of you get my point, though or you would be ignoring this subject, like I do when I don’t like a persons opinions.

I don’t know what you mean by,”me agreeing with Sarah? About what? I just don’t like to see her piled upon. Bad manners.
moscow_minidoka on December 14 at 2:23 p.m.
“We are, however, not usually obsessed over it.”

You mean like the people who continue to claim that President Obama is not a natural-born citizen of the United States and thus not eligible for the presidency?
Phaedrus on December 14 at 2:27 p.m.
A PAC is not an candidacy account, which is what I was referring to.

It looks like you are walking a thin line there Mr Herb, but if splitting hairs is how you want to play this, fair enough.
hhuseland on December 14 at 2:28 p.m.
Incidentally, I do not, like many, have a double standard. None of you have ever heard one word of criticism from me of any of out current elected officials. Nor do I attempt to ridicule any of them. I’d like to see that bar raised at least enough so that the issues were discussed, rather than the personality, or looks, or family problems, etc, etc.

For instance, there is the criticism of Palin for not doing the writing herself. OK, Any of you smart guys think JFK wrote ‘Profiles In Courage,” of for that matter, any other public figure that isn’t a trained writer? I am absolutely amazed at how politically driven personalities opinions change with who’s Ox is being gored. (no pun intended) As a moderate, slightly right of center, I rejoice in that I am attack from both extremes. I am, however, stuck with the faults of the 50’s. As a senior citizen I have had great difficulty in shedding class and polite behavior, along with integrity and all of the other false gods that I was taught a a young person. It is great that I have this crop of emerging adults, (term used loosely) to teach me the path to righteousness.
Phaedrus on December 14 at 2:38 p.m.
I have had great difficulty in shedding class and polite behavior, along with integrity
\
Herb, make sure you use a ladder, I wouldn’t want you getting hurt falling off that high horse you are on.
hhuseland on December 14 at 4:32 p.m.
In my day, most everyone was on that level. Too bad it is now a high horse. I thought it was more like high standards, but some of you find ridicule with anything and everything. Perhaps some of you have slipped so far down the food chain that polite behavior was as ancient as my model A Ford is now. From recognition comes class, etc. Oh, and for Moscow Mindoka, If you can find one single remark that I have ever made about Obama’s birth, I’ll eat every word I’ve written today. You are groping to group me and others into the same bs. Please only quote me, Mot the Republican National committee. Actually, I don’t think you’ll find anything I have written that disses any of the serving democrats. I possibly did suggest that Sali wasn’t good for our state based on his lack of credibility, but none of you took offense at that. Listen to yourselves once in a while, fer cryin’ out loud.

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D.F. Oliveria is a columnist and blogger for The Spokesman-Review. Huckleberries Online was judged the best 2008 Idaho newspaper blog by the Idaho Press Club. And the best 2007 news blog in the Pacific Northwest by the Society for Professional Journalist. Print Huckleberries is a past winner of the Herb Caen Memorial Column contest by the National Association of Newspaper Columnists. The Readership Institute of Northwestern University cited this blog as a good example of online community journalism.